Collapsible crate



J. D. HANNAH COLLAPSIBLE CRATE Filed March 20, 1923 25heets-$lwaf1 Au 26n 1924.

J. D. HANNAH COLLAPSIBLE CRATE Filed Mrch 20. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0III vfl l l l l Z unman j jf nsonfllfannah, 1

Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES l AT EN F'Fl CE coLLArsInL-non-nrn Application" filedMarch 20, 1923. Serial No. 626,323.

T all w 710m it may concern;

Be it known that I Jnrrnnson D. H NNAH, citizen of the United States,-residing at Fayettevil-le, in the county of Vashingtonand State ofArkansas, have invented certai-nnew and useful Improvements-inCollapsible Grates, ofwhichthe" fol-- lowing is aspecification. I

This invention relates to poultry crates and has for an object toprovide a poultry crate embodying, new and improved features ofconstruct-ion, tending torigidity and fold.- able to the minimum degreeof compactness.

A- further object ofthe invention is tofprovide in a poultry cratehingedside and end I panels with improved: type of hinging for saidpanels.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a poultry crate acentral panel or division foldable relative to the remaining parts ofthe structure and hinged to the structure with improved hinges whichalso hinge the side panels. 7

A further object ofthe' invent-ion is to provide a poultry crate ofgeneral improved structure and with the greatest degree of permanency.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention comprises certainnovel parts, elements, units, combinations, interactions and functionsas disclosed inthe drawings, to :gether with mechanical equivalentsthereof as" will be"- hereinafter more fully described and" claimed Inthe drawings:-

Fi-gnre 1 is a View in perspective of the crate in operative condition.

Figure 2 is a'perspective' view of the crate collapsed and folded;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the crate.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through the crate taken on lineie-4 of Figure 3 and showing line 3-3, theplane of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of one corner of the coverunit of the crate.

Figure 6 is fragmentary perspective view showing one of the cornerhinges.

Figure 7 is a view of one of the corner hin'ges'in edge elevation;

Figure 8 is=an inverted fragmentary plan View of one corner of thecrate.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the blank from which one of the corner hingemembers is bent, folded and constructed.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral news.

The improved poultry crate, which forms the subject matter of thisapplication, is in general similar to poultry crates already well known.

It comprises a bottom or floor 10, which may be of wood or any usual andordinary material or any material found satisfactory or convenient forthe use.

Upon the opposite longitudinal sides of the crate, side panels,indicated as entireties at 11 and 12, are employed with opposite endpanels, indicated at 13' and 14?.

The exact construction of the panels as disclosed in the drawings may bevaried, but preferably they are constructed in a similar manner and thedescription of one will serve as a description of all. They comprise anouter frame member 15 which, preferably, will outline the panel withcross bars 16 and vertical spindle s 17. Preferably, the materials-willbe of metal and the spindle and bars will be connected with the member15 by means of metallic clips 18 which will be pinched on to the partsat the required points to properly space the bars and the spindles.

The panels are hinged,- to the bottom by use of corner hinges and hingesintermediate the-ends of the side panels. The corner hinges arecom-posed ofan integral sheet metal structure, shown inblank at Figure9. It comprises a" plate 19which will occupy the under side of thecorner ofthe floor as indicated more particularly at Figure 8. The sheetis'bent at 20- and 21- to form vertically extending flanges, the depthof the flooring as indicated more particularly at Figure 6. A section-22will also be bent at 23-to rest upon the top of the flooring so that theinterval between the section 22 and the section 19 is the thickness ofthe flooring. A tongue 24 is bowed upwardly at 25 andthen againdownwardly to form the member 26, having an opening; 27- th'rough whichis extended a bolt 28, also through the opening; 29 in the section 1 9.This upwardly bowed part 25 forms the hinge for the end panels 13.

A tongue 30is bent on the same line 21 and hooked over at 31 to bearupon a hinge member 32, a bolt 33 extending through the opening 34 ofthe tongue and through the hinge member 32. This hinge member 32 has anextension 35 which is engaged under the part 26 above referred to andclamped by the bolt 28.

Another tongue 36 is bent at 37 so that the perforations 38 and 39register for the purpose and used as hereinafter more fully described. Arivet 4O rigidly secures the outer section of this tongue to the innersection, such rivet extending through the perforations 41 and 42.

The hinge member 32 serves tohinge the side panels of the crate so thateach corner member forms a hinge of one end of one end panel and theproximate end of one side panel/ It will be noted that the center ofhinging of the side panels is higher relative to the floorthan thecenter of hinging of the end panels, so that the end panels may folddownwardly first upon the floor and the transverse rods are inserted.

side panels fold down over the end panels.

A central panel or partition 43 is also employed, constructed in amanner similar to the construction of the side and end panels and hingedto the floor by means of an integral hinging member comprising a stripof material having one end 44 disposed beneath the floor and its upperend extending upwardly and forming a roll or fold 45, hinging the frameof the side panels 11. An integral lip is folded at 46 to form a hingingfor the central panel 43 and all bolted by means of a bolt 47 insertedthrough the several parts as indicated more particularly at Figure 3.

A cover panel is provided having an outer frame 48, preferablycomposed'of channel iron, having longitudinal rods 49 and transverserods 50 secured thereto in any approved manner. Extending alsolongitudinally intermediate the side bars of the frame 48 are otherchannel iron bars 51 and 52 through one of the flanges of which theIntermediate the longitudinal bars 51 and 52 an 'opening is providedhaving a closure 53 hinged thereto in substantially the usual andordinary manner. V

Adjacent the corners the longitudinal bars of the cover panels areprovided with slots 54 proportioned to receive the ears 36 with a 'key55 inserted through the registering openings 38 and 39 when the crate isin collapsed position as shown at Figure 2. The end sections of theframe 48 are also provided adjacent the corners with slots 56 oftentimes placed upon the top of such crates. V

The collapsing and folding of the crate will be readily understood asbeing accom- 'f plished by removing the cover panel, fold ing down theside partition and end panels, folding the side panels over the foldedend and center panel and then placing the cover section on top of thesefolded panels with r the ears 36 inserted through the slots 54 andsecured in that position by the keys 55.

To set up, the keys are removed, the cover member lifted off and theseveral panels erected to upright position. now put in position with theeyes 57 inserted through the slots 56 and the-keys 55 placed inposition. The setting up and collapsing of the crate is, therefore,accomplished in a very short time and, when folded, by reason of itsconstruction, occupies the minimum amount of space while affording, whenset up, a rigidity and permanency which will be apparent from a study ofthe construction.

What I claim to be new is: r

l. A poultry crate comprising a floor, side and end panels, a hingemember secured to a corner of the floor and hinging the side and endpanels, said hinge having a'vertical extension formed integrallytherewith and extending abovethe level of the floor, and a cover havinga slot to receive said vertical extension when the crate is in itsfolded position, said cover being adapted to be secured to said verticalextension.

2. A poultry crate comprising a floor, side and end panels, a hingestructure secured to The cover is one corner of the floor and providinghinging for the end and side anels said hin e bein i b b provided with avertical section extendmg above the level of'the floor, the hinging ofthe end panels beingnearer the "floor than the hinging of the sidepanels, and a cover paneladapted to cover the area outlined by the sideand end panels when set up and to cover the folded side and endpieceswhen folded, said cover having a slot therein to receive thevertical section of the hinge structure. I 1

3. In a poultry crate embodying a floor and side and end panels, ahingemember composed of a sheet of material having one section disposedbeneath the corner of the floor and with tongues extending upwardlyand'bent over forming hinge loops for the side and end pieces, the loopfor the end panel being more nearly adjacent the floor than the loop forthe side panel.

4. In a poultry crate embodying a floor and side and end panels, a hingemember composed of sheet material having one section disposed beneaththe floor and a tongue extending upwardly and bent over upon the top ofthe floor forming a loop for hinging an end panel, a second tongueextending upwardly and carrying a loop for hlnging a side panel and asingle bolt extending through the floor and through the several sectionsclamping said member upon the 10 floor, and the side loops in operativeand hinging position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JEFFERSON D. HANNAH.

